Step 1: choose your visa (3 to 6 months before)
Your visa sets how long you can stay, whether you can work, how much money you need to show, and what reporting you face. Settle it before you sign a lease or ship anything.
Most people fit one of four routes: the DTV for remote workers, the retirement visa for people 50 and over, the marriage visa for spouses of Thai nationals, or Thailand Privilege if you'd rather pay to skip the paperwork. Higher earners should also check the LTR.
Step 2: budget and pick your area (2 to 4 months before)
Thailand is affordable, but Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya cost very different amounts. Use the cost calculator to see a monthly figure for your household, then read the cost of living guide.
Choose the area for daily life, not holidays. Think about hospitals, schools, noise, flooding and how you'll get around. Our Pattaya neighbourhood guide compares the main areas side by side.
Step 3: arrange a home (1 to 2 months before)
Rent first, for 6 to 12 months. You'll learn the area, the building and the neighbours before committing. Our renting guide explains deposits, contracts and what is normal.
If you plan to buy, learn what foreigners can own now, so you don't fall for a structure that isn't legal.
Step 4: pack the paperwork (1 month before)
- Passport with at least 18 months left and several blank pages.
- Your visa approval, printed, plus the documents used to get it.
- Bank statements for the last 3 to 6 months, and pension or salary proof.
- Marriage and birth certificates, translated and legalised if family members are joining you. See documents and legal help.
- Your driving licence and an International Driving Permit, if you plan to convert to a Thai licence.
- Health records and prescriptions, plus health insurance that starts the day you land.
Step 5: land and set up (first 30 days)
Day 1: get a Thai SIM at the airport. Bring your passport.
Within 24 hours: your landlord files your TM30 address report. Ask for the receipt.
Week 1 to 2: open a Thai bank account. Most retirement and marriage visas need one.
Week 2 to 4: get a residence certificate, then convert your driving licence.
The first-month checklist lists every task, with the office and the documents for each one.
Step 6: stay legal, then build your life
Long stays come with routine paperwork: a 90-day report, a yearly extension of stay, and a re-entry permit whenever you travel. Miss one and the fines start; miss an extension and you are overstaying.
Once you're settled, you might buy a condo, set up a company or invest. We'll handle the reminders for you through Residency Care if you'd rather not track the dates.